1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for patient care and cleaning. More particularly, the invention is related to an apparatus and method for managing the waste from a patient during care, maintenance, and treatment of sick or handicapped persons, which minimizes or eliminates the need for contact by the care giving personnel with the body waste products of the patient.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
A large number of patients are unable to transport themselves to conventional toilet facilities when the need arises. Often a care giver is not available at a critical time. When such patients suffer an episode of excretory functions, they may remain for a relatively prolonged period of time in contact with the waste products. In addition to being embarrassing to the patient, the waste products can cause skin maceration and breakdown as well as urinary tract infections. Moreover, cleaning and drying of the patient can require up to 45 minutes or more of nursing time after each such episode. A single nurse is often incapable of turning the patient to the position needed for treatment or comfort. Thus, more often than one nurse must be involved in the patient care.
A device such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,297 including a diaper cap having a main body for encompassing parts of the hip and buttocks region of the human body lacks a number of necessary functions. For example, there is a sealing problem between excreted waste and the patient""s clothes and bed. Also, there exists the problem of limited washing and drying cycles, because the above-mentioned device does not allow for a possibility of passing wash water and drying air to narrow spaces at the extremities of the device between covered and uncovered areas of the patient""s body and the device.
A device such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,583 is composed of a wearing section, a disposal device installed in an aperture in the wearing section, a washing device incorporated in the disposal device, and a driving section for operating the device. This device has a number of disadvantages. For example, wash water and excrement tends to leak out through the periphery of the pressing tube as a result of the poor adhesiveness of the pressing tube to the patient""s body. This poor adhesiveness results from difficulty in fitting the device to various body shapes unless prohibitively high pressure is applied to the body part to form the seal. Such pressure would stop blood circulation in a patient with low venal pressure.
The present invention is intended to solve the above-described difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus that is easy to fit onto various body shapes, that provides an improved washing, drying, and other amenities and treatment functions needed for the care, comfort, and well-being of the patient.
It is a further object of the invention to minimize or eliminate altogether the requirement for personal contact by the patient care giver with bodily waste products of the patient.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having a built-in option enabling a mentally aware patient to assist oneself without being exposed to the scrutiny of others in an embarrassing situation. Generally, it is expected that the patient will want to assume some measure of personal control over operations of the apparatus of the invention. Therefore, the apparatus of the invention allows partial care giver intervention as an option, although a fully preprogrammed operation is additionally part of the invention.
More specifically, and in accordance with primary objects and purposes of the invention, the apparatus for patient care and cleaning includes a set of semi-disposable pants with connection fittings for inflow and outflow hoses. The pants are provided with a recess portion for disposable absorbent, with sealing rings facilitating airflow for creation of a tight seal between the pants and the body of the patient. The pants are supplied with inflatable chambers for sealing particular areas of the body during excretory functions and washing process. The sensors installed within the wearing sections detect excretion and initiate patient care processes and disposing of the waste products. The mattress is provided with inflatable chambers that facilitate positioning of the patient body and creation of a hollow space for bath water, thereby facilitating in-bed bathing of the entire body.